When I was 18 years old, I got on a plane to Manchester England....it was the fall of 1979. I was on my way to Capernwray Bible School and what I thought would be a great adventure. I left behind the man who would be my future husband and an extremely sheltered home life and what I stepped into was life experience and teaching that would forever shape me. I learned what it meant to share a room with 8 girls and be so homesick that I thought I would die and eat my way through 30 lbs of British chocolate that stayed with me all the way back to Canada. I learned to write songs on my guitar that helped me make it through when my dysfunctional social behaviour caused me such heartache. But mostly, I had the privilege of being taught by men like John Stott and Alan
Redpath and Charles Price....and I learned that it wasn't all about me. They taught me things that have come back time and time again and how thankful I am for the great teachers that I have passed on my pilgrim's progress....that I had the pleasure of sitting down with them....for a short time.
If I disobey the inner voice of His Spirit, I will
lose the fullness. I can never lose the relationship, but I will lose
the fullness. When there's disobedience in the Christian life the
fullness ceases. He is there but He is grieved. And you soon know when
you've lost the fullness, because the joy is gone. The fellowship is
gone. The reality of the presence of Christ is gone. It's Satan's
delight to tell me that once he's got me, he will keep me. But at that
moment I can go back to Him. And I know that if I confess my sins, God
is faithful and just to forgive me.
Alan Redpath
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